Post-brace.



H. J. FRITZ.

POST BEACH.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 13, 1908.

921,534. Patented May11,1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

Z062? was 96 H. J. FRITZ.

v POST BRACE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1908.

921,534, Patented May 11, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

HENRY J. FRITZ, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

POST-BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1 1, 1909.

Application filed May 13, 1908. Serial No. 432,623.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that I, IIENRY J. Fiu'rz, acitizen of the United States, residing at Blutl'ton, in the county of\Yells and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful improvementsin Post-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to post braces particularly adapted. tor bracingcorner posts for fences, for gate posts, and for other purobjectsthereof are to provide a post brace which shall be simple in itsconstruction, strong, durable, ellicient in its use, readily set up,inexpensive to manufacture, and convenient]; tightened when occasion sorequires.

"ith the foregt view, the invention consists of the novel con struction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specificallydescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shownthe preferred embodiment of a post brace in accordance with thisinvention, but it is understood that changes, variations andmodifications can be resorted I shown in Fig. 1.

Zwith a pair of angularlv disposed pr0tuberances 3 constituting anchors.Abutting against the post 1 as well as the screw 2 is a V-shaped brawmember 4, the upper end of the member straddling the post 1, as clearlyThe lower end of the brace -member 4 is flattened as at 5 to form afoot,

. pose to be hereinafter referred to. 5 is adapted-to be mounted uponthe flanged poses wherein it is tound applicable and the and the latteris apertured as at 6 for a pur- 'lhe foot supporting plate 7, the latterresting upon the ground and having its upper face pro- 1 vided with agroove 8.

Surrounding the post 1 in proximity to the ground is a coupling l'ormedof two detachable members 9, 10, each of which is provided with an eyeat i one end asat 11 and a hook at the oth erend nng and other ob ectsin as at 12, the hook of one member entering the eve ol the other memberwhereby the membcrs U and l() are connected together.

By setting up the coupling member with a,

, pair of separable or detachable sections, it

, can readily be connected to orrcmoved from to which come within thescope of the is' a similar view of a foot plate for the loweiw Fig. 6 isa per end of the brace member. spective view of a novel form of post.Fig. 7 IS a plan of a moditied form of tightening device. Figs. '8 and 9show the adaptation i of a brace member in accordance with thisinvention in connection with a wooden post.

Fig. 10' is a sectional detail of one end of a i'nodified formofbracemember. Fig. 11 is a' side elevation showing the post brace with anadaptation of the modified form of brace IHGIiIbBI'ShOWIl in Fig. 10,and Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the upper end of the mo ifiedformof brace member.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 in detail, 1 denotes rod provided with thehooked ends 14, 15. 'lhat end of the connecting rod 11 which is=provided with a hook 14 is adapted to be seated in the groove 8 andwhen sopositioned the hook 14 extends through the opening (3 in the foot5, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The hook 15 ot' the rod 13 is adapted toengage with a tightening device, the latter consisting oi a shil'tableplate 16 having an aperture 17' through which extends the hook 15 andthe said platelb' is furthermore provided with a vertical llange 18having an opening through which extends a screw-threaded bolt I!) havinga hooked end 20 which engages with the member 10 of the coupling.Uponthe screwthreaded portion of the bolt- 19 is mounted an adjustingnut 21. When the parts are set up in the manner as shown in Fig. 1 thebrace member 14 can be tightened by adjusting the nut 21 toward the postand loosened when the nut is sliifted awayfroni the post.

In Fig. 7 the modified construction of tightening device is shown and inthis con- .uection it will be stated'that the connecting rod which isindicated by the reference character 22 has one end 23 screw-threaded inlieu ofbeing provided with a hook and upon said screw-threaded portionis mounted one apost substantially V-shaped in cross section end of aturn buckle 24. The other end of and carrying near its top anabutnientscrew 2.- The lower end of the .post 1 is formed said turn buckle 24engages with the screwthreaded' portion 25 of a hook-shaped bolt 26, thebolt being adapted to engage with the member 10 oi the coupling. InFigs. 8 and 9 of the drawing, the brace member 1 is shown employed inconnection with a wooden post 27 and it will be stated in suchparticular that the upper end of the brace member is adapted to enterthepost.

Figs. 10, 11 and disclose a modified form of brace member and in thisconnection it will be stated that the modified form of brace memberwhich is indicated by the reference character 28 1s tubular in contourand carries a cap piece 29 provided with a protuberance 30 adapted toenter the post 31. The lower end of the brace member is flattened as at32 to provide a foot which is apertured to receive the hooked end 14 ofthe connecting rod 15.

member and moves with the tightening de- 1 vice and by such arrangementthe post can be moved to a perpendicular position and maintained in suchposition unless the nut is shifted away from the post or the turn bucklerotated in an opposite direction and by such arrangement tie convenienttightening of the brace member can be had.

What I claim is 1. A ost brace comprisin the combination wit 1 a post,of a V-shaped brace member abutting a ainst the post and having itslower end ilattened to provide a foot, said foot being apertured, agrooved supporting plate for said foot, a coupling surrounding the 0st,a tightening device engaging the coup ing, and a connecting rod attachedat one end to said tightening device and at its other end moufnte in thegrooved plate, that end of the connecting rod which is ,mounted in thegrooved plate provided with a hook extending through the a erture in thefoot of thebrace member, sai plate constituting means'for maintainingthe hook in engagement with the foot.

2. A ostlbrace comprising the combination Witlia post, of an inclinedbrace member abutting tlfereagainst and having its lower end providedwith an apertured foot, a coupling member surrounding the est, atightening device connected with sai coupling member, a groovedsupporting plate for said foot, and a connecting rod having one endattached to the tightening device and its other end seated in the grooveof said plate, that end of the rod mounted on said plate provided with ahooked end, extending The tightening device and coupling as shown inFig. 11 IS the same as that shown I through the aperture in the foot,said plate constituting means for maintaining said hook in engagementwith the foot.

3. A ost brace COIIIPIlSlII the combination wit 1 a post, of an inclinedbrace member end provided with an apertured foot, a coup- I lingmembersurrounding the post, a tightening device connected with saidcouplin member, a llangcd supporting plate, said plate adapted toreceive said foot, said foot surrounded by the flange of the plate, saidplate having its upper face formed with a groove, and a connecting rodhaving one end attached to the tightening device and its other endseated in the groove of said plate,

provided with a hook adapted to extend through the aperture in saidfoot, said plate 1 maintaining the hooked end of said rod in iengagement with said foot.

' 4. A post brace comprising an inclined brace inember adapted to abutagainst the upper portion of the post and provided with a supportingfoot at its opposite end, a tension rod detachably connected to the footmovably attaching the tension rod to the base of the post comprisingcomplemental I members detachably connected to one another and adaptedto embrace the base of the 0st, and a device serving to support the saidoot of the brace member and to retain the tension rod in engagement withsaid foot.

5. A post brace comprising an inclined brace member adapted to abut aainst the upper portion of the post at one end and prov1 ed with asupporting foot at its opposite end, a tightening device removablyattached atone end to the supporting foot of the brace member, means forattaching the o )osite end of the tightening device tot 6 base of theost comprising a pair of segmental meni v ers provided with cooperatinghooks and eyes whereby said members may tightening device being attachedto one of said members, and a plate recessed to receive the footof thebrace member to support the latter and grooved to receive sald tensionrod to retain the latter in engagement with said foot.

6. A post' brace comprising an inclined brace member adapted to abutagainst the upper portionf'of a fence post and having a horizontallyarranged aperturcd foot at its lower end, a tensioning rod attached tothe base of the fence post and extending beneath the foot of the bracemember and having an up-turned hook which engages in the aperturethereof, and a device serving to support the said foot of the bracemember and to retain the latter in cooperative relation with the book ofthe tensioning rod.

7. The combination of a fence post, an inabutting thereagainst andhaving its lower portion of the brace member, means for re-' detachablyembrace the base of the post, the

that end of the rod mounted on said plate.

clined brace member angle shaped in cross 3 said plate which cooperateswith the lower 10 section and having its 11 per end straddling end ofthe brace rod.

said post, the flanges of t e brace member 00- In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set operating with the opposite sides of the post my handin'presence of two subscribing witto prevent relative lateraldisplacement of nesses.

the gost and brace member,'the lower end of HENRY J. FRITZ. the racemember bein flattened, a flanged Witnesses: plate to receive the saiflattened end and a LEVI Moclc,

tensioning device connecting the post and the CHAS. DREW.

